"One of the best I have ever played with" - Casemiro, Kroos, Ramos, Kane and top footballers around the world pay tribute to Gareth Bale

Several former teammates of Gareth Bale have paid tribute to the Welshman following his retirement from the game.

Bale announced on Monday (January 9) that he will be retiring from the sport after a professional career that spanned 16 years. The winger, 33, chose to call it a day after a six-month stint with Los Angeles FC in the MLS.

Many of his illustrious former teammates have now praised him for his contributions on the pitch. Real Madrid midfield general Toni Kroos wrote about Bale on Instagram:

"One of the best I've ever played with! Enjoy life @garethbale11"

Former Los Blancos captain and current Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Sergio Ramos, who won four UEFA Champions League titles alongside Bale, also lauded the Welshman. Ramos wrote on Twitter:

"Gareth, it has been a pleasure to share so many good times with you.... You leave behind many titles, goals and moments of joy. I wish you the best in this new stage, @GarethBale11 🚂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿"

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min also praised the Welshman. The duo notably spent a season together when Real Madrid loaned Bale out to Spurs for the entirety of the 2020-21 club campaign. Son wrote on Instagram:

"A legend of Spurs and a legend of football. Congratulations on an amazing career @garethbale11 !! Wishing you the best luck in your next chapter mate 😁🤍"

Here are some more reactions from the likes of Casemiro, David Alaba and Marcelo:

Vinicius Jr.'s Instagram story for Gareth Bale

Harry Kane's Instagram story for Bale

David Alaba's Instagram story for Bale

Kyle Walker's Instagram story for Gareth Bale

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Gareth Bale ends career with several memorable moments and multiple major titles

Gareth Bale will go down as one of the best wingers of the 21st century. Having broken through as a left-back for Southampton's age group sides, the Welshman moved to Tottenham Hotspur in 2007. He revelled as a full-back before transitioning to the wing, where he scored goals galore.

Bale then got his big-money move to Real Madrid in 2013, where he seemed simply unstoppable for the first few seasons before injuries stunted his progress. His final few campaigns with Los Blancos, which included a loan move back to Spurs, were not the most memorable, but he still picked up silverware. The forward's final season in action was with MLS team Los Angeles FC, who he helped win the MLS Cup and Supporters' Shield.

Overall, Gareth Bale played 554 senior club games and registered 186 goals and 137 assists. He also won 22 titles, including five UEFA Champions League, three La Liga and three FIFA Club World Cups.

Bale was Wales' marquee player for almost his entire career and made 111 appearances for the team, recording 40 goals and 22 assists. He helped them qualify for UEFA Euro 2020 and the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but they suffered premature exits in both tournaments.